Howard L. Matteson, 73, of rural Wonewoc passed away Monday, July 25, 2016, at the Veterans Medical Center in Tomah.
He was born June 21, 1943, to Verlin and Treva (Taylor) Matteson in Hillsboro. He attended grade school at Trippville and graduated from the Hillsboro High School in 1961.
Howard enlisted in the U.S. Army under the “buddy program,” along with Ed Farra and Ronnie Hubbard in 1961, with basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. He then went to Heidelberg, Germany, for 31 months in the Motor Transportation Company.
Howard was united in marriage to Carol Degner on Feb. 20, 1965, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Hillsboro. They moved to Rockford, Ill., the same weekend for employment. He worked at Chrysler Corporation at Belvidere, Ill., as line supervisor in trim. Later he started his own business of Matteson Floor and Wall Covering.
He decided to drive semi truck, so he attended the Diesel Truck Driving School in Sun Prairie, Wis. He was a company driver until he had the opportunity to buy his own rig from Nellie Hawkey when Floyd passed away. He continued driving to California twice a month and crop farming until December 2009. He sold the semi and bought a motor home and spent the last six seasons as winter Texans in Weslaco, Texas.
Howard was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and the American Legion Post in Hillsboro, and he participated with H.O.P.E. and its annual walk. He was a fan of NASCAR, liked traveling to Mexico and Europe, plus he enjoyed listening to classic country music and always enjoyed visiting with family and friends.
Survivors include his wife, Carol; his sons, Brent of Cathedral City, Calif., and Douglas of Chicago; his brothers, Alan (Sandi) Matteson of Hillsboro and Larry (Jenny) Matteson of Fond du Lac, Wis.; his brother- and sister-in-law, Stuart “Butch” and Dianne Pacl of La Valle; and aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Carl Matteson; and a sister, Anita Satterlee.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 30, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Hillsboro, with Rev. Conrad Prell officiating. Burial with military rites will be in Mount Vernon Cemetery in Hillsboro. Friends may call at the Picha Funeral Home in Hillsboro on Friday from 4–8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to H.O.P.E., P.O. Box 274, Hillsboro, WI 54634. For online information, go to www.pichafuneralhomes.com.
